I am interested in posters comments on my research below.Just...

I am interested in posters comments on my research below.

Just looking at the top 20 shareholders to work out which organisations are lending out their ALK shares for shorting, excluding Gandel and individuals/SMSFs and family trusts then it could be any of the following - ALK % share holding is shown as at June 20.

HSBC nominees - 9.69%
Citicorp Nominees - 5.16%
JP Morgan Nominees - 3.56%
BNP Nominees - 1.14%

All the above are nominee companies ie held in custody for a shareholder other than the organisation.

There are only 5 shareholders with more than 3.5%. With 5.5% shorts for ALK it would seem the most likely culprits are the first 3 above.

I read one way to stop your shares being loaned by a super fund or a Nominee is to write to them and tell them they are not allowed to loan your shares for shorting purposes.

What would it mean if Gandel was loaning his shares out to be shorted (which he can)? An interesting question - if he was he may try and buy more at a lower price (he can increase his shareholding by 3% pa without making a takeover bid). Loaning his shares also provides him with more income.

I also read super funds, nominee company and institutional investors are most likely to loan shares for shorting - individuals,family trusts and SMSFs are unlikely to do the same.